The wiring on and around the batteries in my Centaur is a mess, as shown below.

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It all works but there are no fuses at the batteries or main switches, no busbars (other than on the switch panels), a curious relay arrangement to ensure that the engine battery gets charged first and all sorts of other failings. The system downstream of this is OK, with two protected switch panels and adequate wiring through the boat.

Clearly, this needs sorting out. As I (a) have only basic knowledge of boat electrical systems (although with Nigel Calder's help it's improving) and (b) am reluctant to pay my engineer £300 to sort it out I want to do it myself. What book(s) have you found useful that would tell me how to do it?

Experience: That which would have been most useful five minutes before you acquired it.

I am sorting out my electrics at the moment. In my youth when I had hair and flared jeans I used to wire up Tornado Jets. As long as you are careful never to park Tyro at the end of a runway afterwards I should be able to help.

I agree about the limited usefulness of the Book for our needs! The 12-Volt Bible comes highly recommended but I haven't got a copy - yet.

Don't know about running all the new stuff before removing the old - I suppose it depends whether you want to use the same cable runs.

All the 'background' wiring, if my ideas aren't to cockeyed, is going on a board in what is now the battery locker (the after one under the port settee), hinged so that it can be swung up (and possibly even partly out) to work on it but normally living close to the ship's side. Haven't done anything with it yet though -still very much at the 'I really ought to do something about that' stage.

Experience: That which would have been most useful five minutes before you acquired it.

On the subject of using the old cable runs - if your old wiring is marine grade tinned copper then you are lucky and probably fine. If like many the wiring is old automotive cable, then strip a bit of insulation from one end preferably the end closest to the weather. Half an inch or an inch will do. If the cable within is bright tin or bright copper then you are fine. If the cable is dull copper you are probably ok (but should think about replacing with marine grade tinned cable), but if its green with verdigris then you must replace the cable.